Closure apparatus



c. F. MILLER 1,712,509

CLOSURE APPARATUS May 14,1929.

Filed April 15, 1928 WITNESSES:

INVENTOR (LF. Miller ATTORN EY till ll atentetl May 14?, 1929..

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F F E rrenr Ull'llAll-Llfliii Illa MILLER, Oll M00313, PENNSYLVANIA, AfiSItItllOR TC] WillidlllitlPl-lltlllldlll ELECTRIC a MANUFACTURING CQMIE'ANY, A GOIRPORATIQN 01E l-Ifittlllll'fl'lf'lh'll...

CLOSURE APPARATUE.

Application filed April 13, 1925;. Serial No. 269,860.

This invention relates to closure apparahis and particularly to apparatus oil this character which is of a relatively large and heavyna-ture, such, for example, as a door and its associated mechanism for closing an opening in aii'urnace wall; and it has for an object to provide a closure apparatus of this character which is of improved construction and arrangement of parts.

Another object is to provide a closure apparatus oi the character referred to which is entren'iely ellectivc in use, and also one which requires a minimum amount of power tor its operation.

Another object is to provide a closure apparatus which is very simple in design, and also one in which the manufacturing and in stallation costs are comparatively small.

Still another object is to provide a elosure apparatus of thecharacter referred to which has associated therewith an improved means for maintaining the same in closed position. I

Tlhese and other objects are effected by my invention, as will be apparent from the following; description and claims taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, lorming a part of this application, in which: 7

Itipg. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation oi a furnace wall showing y improved closure apparatus applied thereto;

2, is a vertical section talren on the line ll lll of Fig. l;

Fig, 3 is a fragmentary elevation simllar to l ig. l, but showing a slightly modified construction; and,'

lis a vertical sectional on the line Ill-1V of Fig, 3. y y

According to my invention, 1 provide a pair oi opposed parallel traclc elements which are secured to a wall structure oppositc sides oi? an opening, a door is acranpged lietwcen the track eh-unents and. is provided with circular peripheral. portions which cooperate with the opposed track ole-- meals in such a manner that the door may he bodily rolled onthe track elements to open or closed position. Such a construction provides an extremely effective closure for the opening, and also provides a closure which can be operated with a minimum aniormt of force. y

"Referring now in detail to the cons a, i uistrated and particularity view taken true and 2, the reference numeral 10 indicates a furnace Wall of conventional (iesin'ii. The wall 10 has an openingll therethrough to provide access to the interior oil the furnace i. provide a pair oi track element; and i which are arranged at opposite sides oi. the opening l1 and are disposed in parallel. re lation to one another. In the construction shown, the track elements 12 and lit are integral parts oil a cast iron frame structure 14;. The track elements are securei'l in position on the flUfZI-HCG wall by means oi? bolts 15 passing through the :li'rame struc ture 14; and into the Wall ill The trar-lr elements 12 and 13 are provided. with lon tudinal grooves 16 and 17 respectively, and the groove oi one track element is disposed in opposed parallel relationto the groove provided in the other track element;

A circular door 18 is arranged between and cooperates with the track elements 12 and 13, in such a manner that the door may be opened and closed by rolling the same bodily along the opposed track elements. The door 18 comprises a hodyportion 19, circular peripheral portions ildand 21, and an inner refractory lining 22, The peripheral portion 20 is in. the form of a circularfiange which hits within the opposed grooves 16 and 1'?" of the traclr elements, The peripheral portion 21 has a rolling; con-- tact with an outer edge 23 of the track element 13 as shown, The door is provided with a handle device 24; which is pivi'itally connected by means of a bolt 25 passing}; through the center of the body portion 19. In opening and closing the door, the open ator may grasp the handle androll the door along its circular peripheral portions. .l.he open positionol' the door is indicated by the dot and dash lines in Fig; 1.. The move-- ment ol the door limited by liolts E20 and secured. to opposite ends of the frame structure 14,-.

i It will be obscrvial fromMiamination of an inclined position. with respect to the verftical. The angle of such 1ncluiatirm such that the center of gravity ol the door will he at the furnace side of a vertical line pass- 111; through the point of contact of the door wi h the lower t 13 flu the cor 'lflitiltll'r sli at an inn;

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cast frame structure 32 having a pair of opposed track elements 33 and 34'. The cast frame structure is securedto the furnace wall by suitable bolts 35; 35. The opposed 7 track elements 33 and 34 are provided with opposed parallel grooves 36' and 37 respectively, which receive a circular peripheral flange 38 of a door 39. As in the prior construction, this door may be opened and closed by IOlling the same along the track elements 33 and 34.

In this construction, however, the frame structure 32, track elements 33 and 34 and door 39 are arranged in a vertical plane. The'door is held in closed position by means of a pivoted latch element 40 carried by the door 39 andengaging a pair of opposed spring clips 41 and 42 carried by the track elements 33 and 34 respectively. The spring clip 41 is securedby screws 43, 43 to a boss 44 formed integral with the track element 33, and the spring clip 42 is secured by screws 45,45 to a boss formedintegral with the track element 34. The clips 41 and 42 are provided with outwardly turned lip portions 47 and 48 respectively. The clips 41 and 42 face in opposite directions as will be seen from examination of Fig. 3.

The latch element 40 is pivotally connected intermediate its ends to a bolt 49 carried centrally of the door 39. When the door is in its closed position and it is desired that it be secured, thelatch element 40 is moved about its'pivot in a clockwise direction until the opposite ends of the lever are engaged by the clips 41 and 42, thus causing the door to be firmly forced against the furnace wall 30. When the latch element 40 is moved in a counter-clockwise direction it is disengaged from the clips 41 and 42 and the door39 is free to be rolled aside from the opening 31. A hand hold-5O is formed'on the lower end of the latch element 40 to facilitate the opening and closing of the door.

The above described device provides an extremely eflecti'veand efiicient means for closing the opening in a furnace wall. By reason of the fact that the door is opened and closed by simply rolling the same bodilyalong the track elements, it will be readily seen that a small amount of power is required to perform these operations. Also by reason of the fact that the door may be opened and closed by a rolling action, these operations may be performed with'a minimum amount of shock and jar to the component parts of the door. This is of special advantage when used in connection with the furnace, for the reason that the refractory linin of a furnace door is of a fragile nature an may become loosened or ruptured as a result of an excessive shock.

' As the track elements and the frame portions of the door are formed as unitary castings, the apparatus may be manufactured and applied with a minimum amount of expense.

While I have shown my invention in two forms, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptible of various other changes and modifications, without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereupon as are imposed by the prior art or as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a wall structure having an opening therethrough; of a closure for said opening; said closure comprising a pair of parallel track elements disposed on opposite sides of said opening, a door arranged between the track elements and having circular peripheral portions cooperating with said track elements for sup orting and uiding the same, whereby the dbor may be bodily rolled between the track elements for opening and closing the opening.

2. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a wall structure havi an opening therethrough; a pair of tree elements arranged in o posed parallel relation to one another, an secured to the wall structure at opposite sides of the opening; and a door for said opening; said door having circular peripheral portions cooperating with the opposed track elements for supporting and guiding the same whereby the door may be bodily rolled upon the track elements to open or closed position.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a wall structure havin an opening therethrough; a pair of tracli elements arranged in opposed parallel relation to one another, and secured to the wall structure at opposite sides of the opening; a door for said opening; said door having circular peripheral portions cooperating with the opposed tract elements for su )porting and guiding the same whereby the nor may be bodily rolled upon the track elements to open or closed position; and means for bolding the door in closed position.

4. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination of a wall structure havin an opening therethrough; a pair of true elements arranged in 0 posed parallel relation to one another, an secured to the wall structure at opposite sides of the opening;

a door for said opening; said door having circular peripheral portions cooperating with the opposed track elements for supporting and guiding the same whereby the door may be bodily rolled upon the track elements to open or closed position; and resilient means for holding the door in closed position.

5. In an apparatus of the class described, H

the combination of a Wall structure having an opening therethrough; a pair of track elements arranged in opposed parallel relation to one another, and secured to the wall structure at opposite sides of the opening; a door for said opening; said door having circular peripheral portions cooperating with the opposed track elements for supporting and guiding the same, whereby the door may be bodily rolled upon the track elements to open and closed position; a latch element pivotally connected intermediate its ends to the door; and a spring clip device carried by each of the track elements and adapted to cooperate with the ends of the latch element for holding the door in its closed position.

6. In a furnace, the combination of a furnace wall having an opening therethrough; a pair of track elements arranged in opposed parallel relation to one another, and secured to the furnacewall at opposite sides of the opening; and a door having circular peripheral portions engaging the opposed track elements for supporting and guiding the same whereby the door may be bodily rolled upon the track elements to open and closed position.

7. In a furnace, the combination of a furnace Wall having an opening therethrough; a pair of track elements secured to the wall structure at opposite sides of the opening; each of said track elements having a groove; the groove of one of said track elements be ing disposed in opposed parallel relation with the groove of the other of said track elements; a circular door for said opening having a circular peripheral flange fitting Within the opposed grooves of the track elements; the construction and arrangement of the door and the track elements being such that the, door may be bodily rolled along the track elements to open or closed position.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of April, 1928.

CHARLES F. MILLER. 

